Hi there, I’m Sienna!

I received my formal training at UCLA through their BFA program. Beyond my degree, I am entirely self-taught. I have years of experience as a studio art facilitator and a private instructor. I have observed that the most consistent roadblock people encounter when they make art is the fear of doing it wrong. My goal as an art teacher is to empower my students so that they can work through that fear and access all the creative fulfillment that art-making has to offer. I teach fundamentals alongside experimentation because artistic voice is just as important, if not more so, than classical techniques. I’m well-versed in both, but I tailor my approach to each student and their individual goals.

My Teaching Philosophies

  • Style > Perfection

    A clear artistic voice makes work timeless and unique. I teach fundamentals and celebrate stylistic choices. It’s the details and decisions in an artist’s style that distinguishes their work from others.

  • There's No Bad Art

    There’s no such thing as bad art. As artists, we are always refining our skills to better execute our creative visions. However, that doesn’t mean we need to judge ourselves while we learn!

  • Be Curious

    As artists, we should approach our practices with curiosity. Wondering why we are drawn to particular colors, techniques, or subjects can lead to a deeper understanding of the self. I impart this approach to my students so they can create more robust, intentional work.

  • Learn by Doing

    I encourage students to dive right into the project and learn as we go. This approach empowers students to conquer the intimidating blank page and accept mistakes as neutral parts of the learning process. For folks who struggle with perfectionism, this approach can be difficult but ultimately freeing.

One on One Remote Lesson

A treat for yourself, the burgeoning artist in your life, or anyone who wants to sharpen their drawing skills.

  • I will craft a lesson based on the unique needs of the student. We will cover the fundamentals of drawing and simultaneously work on cultivating the student’s artistic voice. I recommend booking classes in bundles so that we can plan long-term projects and goals. Digital or traditional lessons are available, but all lessons will be remotely taught via Zoom.

    The student will have the choice of working with traditional materials or Procreate.

  • $200/2 hr lesson. Additional time $75/hr

    Curriculum Bundle: When you book six lessons, you will receive a free 60-minute zoom call to discuss goals and curriculum. At the end of the six lessons, I will send you a written document detailing your progress and some key highlights from your lessons. Correspondence regarding singular lessons will be handled via email only.

  • What are some goals you or the person you’re booking for would like to achieve during your lessons?

    What is your or your student’s experience level with art?

    What art materials would you like to use?

    What would you like to draw? We can do still-life drawings, self-portraits, popular characters, or anything that sparks joy! I can teach with any reference image as long as it’s in focus and high resolution.

  • Lesson objectives and the rate of completed artwork will vary between students. If your goal is to complete one work during one lesson, then please let me know so I can accommodate that. This may mean paring down the reference so that it can be finished within two hours.

    Skill-building-focused lessons will not always result in one completed work per session. This will depend on the complexity of the project and the workflow of the student.

    Digital lessons will be taught with Procreate on the iPad. Traditional lessons will be taught with colored pencils, ink, acrylic paint, watercolor, pastel, or graphite. All lessons will be hosted on Zoom.

    If there are any technical errors on Zoom, any missed time will be noted and made up

    If our reference image is the intellectual property of another artist, I am not responsible for the misuse or misappropriation of the resulting images. These lessons are purely for instructional purposes — always make sure to credit the original artist when sharing redraws of their work

    No refunds on any lessons or bundles.

    Cancellations must be made with at least 24-hour notice. If you cancel later than that, you will not be refunded your deposit. Lessons canceled with 24-hour notice can be rescheduled with no penalty and your deposit will still go toward your future lesson.

Creative Consultation

Ideal for students building their portfolios, working artists, and brands seeking artistic insight.

  • I offer tailored portfolio reviews, art direction consultations, and robust creative guidance. I earned my BFA from UCLA and have worked on projects for clients such as HBO, Common, and the LA River Project. Whatever your vision is, I can provide you with the actionable steps you’ll need to achieve it.

    You can also use this time to ask any questions about me, my work, my social media platforms, or my experience.

  • $200/session (1hr). Additional time: $100/hour

  • What are you hoping to use this consultation for? Are you an individual seeking portfolio feedback, a brand seeking creative direction, etc? Be as specific as possible

    What are some specific takeaways you would like? The more targeted your requests are, the easier it will be to give focused feedback

    Would you like this to be a one-time consultation or to meet on a recurring basis?

  • I am not responsible for admission into school, residency, etc., and can only offer my professional opinion as a seasoned artist

    No refunds

    If there are any technical errors on Zoom, any missed time will be noted and made up

    Cancellations must be made with at least 24-hour notice. If you cancel later than that, you will lose your deposit and will have to pay again to hold time for a future session.

    Sessions canceled with 24-hour notice can be rescheduled with no penalty and your deposit will still go toward your future session.

Testimonials

  • “We are so lucky to have found Sienna! She is an incredibly talented and thoughtful artist, teacher, and human. Sienna is always so patient. She maintains the same tone of voice at all times and always speaks to her students as an equals no matter what their age! She is extraordinarily explanatory and is always able to keep things positive and come up with different techniques and solutions if needed. Her skill level is off the charts! She always has exciting ideas and is able to work and teach in a multitude of mediums and settings!”

    — Margaret W. (mother of 10-year-old private student)

  • “As a fellow instructor, I'm so glad I had the pleasure of working with Sienna. A highly talented artist who is experienced in a wide variety of mediums, Sienna is skilled at distilling complex concepts down to the basics, and thanks to her calm, approachable demeanor, she is able to create an encouraging learning environment that produces effective lessons. Her approach to teaching is both direct and empathetic, providing a focused and soothing experience for her students. In my time working with Sienna, I've never seen a student leave a lesson with her in which their work did not excel.”

    — Emily U. (former co-instructor and professional illustrator)

  • “Sienna’s commitment and clarity and voice in this project were invaluable. The power and interaction of her work were incredibly exciting in our final production. So vivid and joyful. I am in love with the work.”

    — Mikhael Tara Garver (Founder / Experiential Architect of 13Exp)

  • “When we hired Sienna Gonzales, we already had a few of our own ideas for the direction we wanted to go with our rebranding. Working with another's ideas can be difficult, especially surrounding a family business. Working with her was not only a breeze, but she quickly and effectively implemented several interpretations of those ideas. When small changes were needed, she made herself available to make them and continued to provide support until the end of the project. The end result is a unique and popular design for our Auto Shop that sets us apart from the competition.”

    — Aubrey A. (Rep for Duncan Auto Tech)